Gimme That Old Time Religion!

“GIMME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION!”

GALATIANS 1:6-12

INTRO: Change seems to be a way of life. Things are constantly changing. Some of these

changes are needed and necessary. They are good and beneficial for us. But there

are changes that are detrimental to us. The Church must continue to stay true to the

Word and will of God. The Church truly must be anchored to the Rock, but geared to

the times. Although methods are constantly changing, the MESSAGE never changes!

In the book of Galatians Paul wrote to a group of Churches that were under the attack

of Judiazers who attempted to pervert the message that Paul had preached unto them.

The method of attack was the teaching that a person must have faith in Christ and keep

the Law or else that person could not be saved. Paul wrote in Galatians 1:6-9--”I

marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ

unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and

would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach

any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be

accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel

unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” What was Paul saying in

these verses? He was saying, “The gospel never changes! And we had better not

change it!”

Churches use to sing a song, “Old Time Religion”. It goes like this:

'Tis the old time religion,

It's good enough for me.

It was good for our mothers,

It's good enough for me.

Makes me love everybody,

It's good enough for me.

3. It has saved our fathers.

4. It was good for the prophet Daniel.

5. It was good for the Hebrew children.

6. It was tried in the fiery furnace.

7. It was good for Paul and Silas.

8. It will do when I am dying.

9. It can take us all to heaven.

Chorus:

'Tis the old time religion,

Tis the old time religion,

'Tis the old time religion,

It's good enough for me.

(Old Time Religion. Precious Hymns. pp. 227-228).

Friends, I agree. I want to speak on the subject this morning, GIMME THAT OLD

TIME RELIGION. Let us consider four things as we answer the question, “What is

the old time religion?” IT IS...

(1) THE BIBLE

PSALM 119:105—“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

A. THE WORD KEEPS US FROM STUMBLING IN OUR WALK. The psalmist

said—“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet...”. Friends, we live in a dark world. The darkness

is all around us. Unless our faith is founded and focused on the Word of God we will

stumble in our walk. The old time religion's foundation is the Word of God.

ILLUS: We need to keep close to the ancient simplicity of the original Christian faith, and build

our foundation on its original unity. We must abhor the arrogance of those who harass

and tear apart the church of God under the pretense of correcting errors and holding to

"the Truth." The sufficiency of Scripture, of course, must be upheld; but do not let

others add anything to it. (Richard Baxter, "The Reformed Pastor". Christianity

Today, Vol. 30, no. 8).

John Wesley said, “I am a Bible-bigot. I follow it in all things, both great and small.” (John

Wesley in his Journal. Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 7). Paul spoke of those in v7 who

“pervert the gospel of Christ.” Friends, we must let the Bible be:

· OUR SOLE AUTHORITY. According to the Gallup organization, only 28 percent of

Americans believe that the Bible is the "actual word of God." The numbers of those who

believe in a literal Bible have decreased 10% over the past 30 years. (Bible Illustrator For

Reserved). Less and less are men relying on the blessed Word of God as their counselor

and guide.

· OUR STEADFAST ANCHOR. When your faith is anchored in the promises of God you will not sink in the raising storms of skepticism, the swelling tides of cynicism, and the hurricane waters of humanism. We are told in Ephesians 4:14—“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” How do we grow “that we henceforth be no more children”? 1 Peter 2:2 tells us how—“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

· OUR SACRED ADVISOR. Someone has said, “One who uses the Bible as his guide never loses his sense of direction.” Other books were given for our information, the Bible was given for our transformation. (Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entries #688-689). Any question of life for which you are seeking an answer can be found in the pages of God’s Word.

B. THE WORD KEEPS SHINING FORTH THE WAY. Not only did the psalmist

say—“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” but also ”a light unto my path.” God's Word lights

the way in a dark world. It is a light which shines on the road that a man treads, so that he

may see the path, and that he may see any danger which may be in his path...He who makes

the word of God his guide, and marks its teachings, is in the right way. He will clearly see

the path. He will be able to mark the road in which he ought to go, and to avoid all those

by-paths which would lead him astray. He will see where those by-roads turn off from the

main path - often at a very small angle, and so that there seems to be no divergence. He will

see any obstruction which may lie in his path; any declivity or precipice which may be near,

and down which, in a dark night, one might fall. Man needs such a guide, and the Bible is

such a guide. (Albert Barnes. Albert Barnes' Notes on The Bible. e-Sword. Version 7.8.5.

Someone has said, ”We have never truly breathed air nor seen light until we have breathed in

the God-inspired Bible and see the world in the Bible's light.” (Fyodor Dostoevsky,

Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 5). We read in Psalm 119:130—“The entrance of thy words

giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Friends, THE WORD KEEPS

SHINING FORTH THE WAY!

GIMME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION, it is THE BIBLE and...

(2) THE BLOOD

1 PETER 1:18-20—“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible

things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the

world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

A. THE PRECIOUS BLOOD. In v19 Peter calls it—“the precious blood.” We are redeemed

by something far more valuable than silver or gold. We are redeemed with “the precious

blood.” It is precious because of:

· THE PERSON. It is the blood of CHRIST. The “lamb without blemish and without spot.” “The lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). The Lamb “who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” (v20; Revelation 13:8). When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for another; it was the life of God poured out to redeem the world. --Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) (Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entry #497).

· THE PRICE. Our salvation was not purchased with money but with the blood of Jesus Christ. Leviticus 17:11 tells us—“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

· THE POTENTIAL. 1 John 2:2 tells us of the potential of the sacrifice of Jesus' blood for us—“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Sometimes it is difficult to forgive those who wrong us. Imagine how hard it would be to forgive all people, no matter what they had done! This is what God has done in Jesus. Not one of us, no matter what sin has been committed, is beyond forgiveness. All a person has to do is turn from sin, receive Christ’s forgiveness, and commit his or her life to him. (Life Application Bible Commentary: 1, 2, & 3 John. Copyright © 1998 by The Livingstone Corporation. All rights reserved. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois. Life Application is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2002, Parsons Church Group, a division of FindEx.com, Inc).

B. THE PARDONING BLOOD. Hebrews 9:22 tells us—“And almost all things are by the

law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Without the

shedding of Christ’s blood, there can be no salvation. It is conceivable that He could have

died in other ways, but remission of our sins required not just His death, but death through

C. THE POWERFUL BLOOD. Paul said in 1 Peter 1:18—“Forasmuch as ye know that ye

were not redeemed with corruptible things…”. The word corruptible here means “decayed,

perishable.” The blood of Christ is INCORRUPTIBLE! It is powerful enough to save every

sinner! Friends, we can only be saved through the blood of Jesus! Paul said in Galatians

1:8—“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that

which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Paul says, “If any preach unto you

another gospel—a gospel void of the precious blood, the pardoning blood, the powerful

blood—let him be accursed.” It is just as Baptist preacher, Robert Lowry wrote:

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?